Parallels and Boot Camp running independant of eachother????

I am just setting up my computer. I loaded boot camp first and everything worked fine. Then I went and installed parallels. After installing parallels it reinstalled windows in a vm. Now it appears that the two are running independant of eachother and when I put something on the desktop in windows, it does not show up when I start my VM. Is there something that I missed that connects the VM to the partitioned HD and the windows that I am running out of boot camp?

 

Sounds like you've just created a second "regular" default machine with its own installation of windows. I suggest that you go and read chapter 12 of the "Parallels Desktop For Mac User Guide" which you will find in the /Applications/Parallels folder on your Mac.

NB: If you've successfully "activated" XP in both Boot Camp and Parallels (or if you have an activation-free copy of XP) then fine - otherwise, don't "activate" either copy until you've got this sorted out (you get 30 days grace anyway).

Meanwhile - use the opportunity to decide whether you really need Boot Camp, or if the "normal" Parallels install does what you need.